Jonathan Paul O'Brien

My name is Mir Bilal Khan Khoso. I was recruited by Jonathan Paul O'Brien as his assistant (remote) for the strategic management course a few months ago. At that time, he would mention his illness, but I wasn't aware of how serious it was. Today, while randomly browsing UNL's website, I stumbled upon the obituary of dear Professor O'Brien. It's a moment of deep sorrow and sadness for all who knew and loved him. The news was shocking, and my prayers and condolences go out to Professor O'Brien's family. May he rest in peace.

I was a graduate student of his when he was an Associate professor at RPI. His work on capital structure and financial slack has been monumental in shaping my own research agenda over the years. I share many fond memories of him and looked up to him as a senior scholar who I tremendously admired. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

I served on the Promotion and Tenure Committee at UNL for a number of years with Jon. I quickly learned that he shared very similar views with mine regarding these decisions, i.e., to always be fair and consistent. I'll miss him.

I met Jon for the first time several months ago. Such openness and humor. What a loss. My condolences to all who were touched by his spirit. Fair winds and following seas.

Jon was already an established scholar when I was in the Purdue PhD program. I remember hearing his suggestions when he visited the campus again in 2012/2013. He organized a Strategy forum in UNL and I met him again as a participant in 2018. His papers also enlightened my own research. I feel really sad that he left still so young.

Jon was a man of profound wisdom, not just due to his outstanding scholarly achievements but also because of his genuinely kind nature. Our friendship dates back to my Ph.D. program at Purdue in the early 2000s. The dialogues I shared with him were consistently enlightening, valuable, and exceptionally constructive. He was a cherished friend to numerous colleagues in academia, myself included. His absence is deeply felt, and we will forever cherish his significant contributions to the field of strategy. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family during this difficult time.

Jon was a good friend and mentor for over 20 years since our days in the PhD program together at Purdue in the early 2000's. He will be missed at the conferences and the Purdue Alumni get togethers. It was an honor to have known Jon and consider him a close and dear friend. We are looking forward to honoring Jon with a memorial social event at AOM in Chicago for a gathering of his friends and colleagues to celebrate his life.

My deepest condolences go out to Jon´s family. He was my classmate throughout high school. He is certainly being remembered here on the East coast.

My sympathy to the family. Jon was a very kind and friendly faculty member at RPI. What a terrible loss.

Jon was an integral part of the PhD program at Purdue when I was there...I remember him as a great colleague who was willing to open his home and talk and help knit our program together socially. He was always willing to share advice, ideas, and his views and his example and insights helped us strive towards high standards. He was a great scholar who made many contributions in strategy. My deepest sympathies go out to Jennifer and the entire family.

I went through the PhD program with Jon at Purdue and he was always a great colleague and generous conversationalist willing to open his home and share hospitality, ideas, and advice. He really brought the business school PhD cohort together and his example helped all of us throughout the program. He made a number of major contributions to the field of strategy. My deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Jennifer and the family.

Jon was a colleague at University College Dublin, a great scholar and a very fine colleague. He was keen witted, intelligent and extremely helpful. My deepest condolences to Jennifer and family.

I had the privilege of working with Jon and Jennifer in UCD, Ireland, for a number of years. I always enjoyed chatting with Jon. He was very insightful about life. I enjoyed his witty reflections on life. He was a kind and thoughtful educator of students, and an outstanding researcher. He was always kind when you met him at conferences. Generous to a fault, one day I met him in the US and mentioned I was looking for external examiners in Maynooth, Ireland. Straight away Jon offered to help. Over his years as an external in Maynooth he advised and guided us on improving the quality of our education. An amazingly generous service to a university and community he did not work for, but took the time to support and care for. Deepest sympathies to Jennifer, Ben and Molly on the loss of such a kind and good person as Jon.

I am among many old friends who are missing Jon and hoping that his children and family can find some comfort and peace in this terrible loss. I hope we will all remember the good times and keep his memory close to our hearts.